Strip-metal straightener



Dec. 8 1925- 1,564,696

' s. D. LOCKE STRIP METAL STRAIGHTENER Filed April 25, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR .S'yZ'mnusD. Locke ATI'ORNEY Dec 8, 1925- 4 1,564,696

S. D. LOCKE STRIP METAL STRAIGHTENER Dec. 8, 1925. 1,564,696

. S. D. LOCKE STRI P METAL STRAIGHTENER Filed April 25. 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 w I 56 & 56 INVENTOR.

- @Zmnas D. Lac/(e BY ATTORNEY Dec. 8 1925. 1564.696

5. D. LOCKE .STRIP METAL STRAIGHTENER Filed April 25. 1924 5 Shets-Sheeo s INVENTOR 4 Sylmnaa Ana/re Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SYLVANUS D. LOCKE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE LOCKE STEEL CHAIN COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

STRIP-METAL STRAIGHTENER.

Application ill ed April 25, 1924. Serial No. 708,900.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that SYLVANUS D. LOGKE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in StrZip- Metal Straighteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a strip metal straightener, and has more especial reference to a strip metal straightener of the type designed to be utilized in connection with machines or apparatuses wherein it is essential that strip metal (customarily handled in rolled up form) be accurately fed to exact position in a machine or apparatus to be acted upon by dies or the like, as, for example, in the making of connected chain links from strip sheet metal by successive link forming, severing and assembling operations upon the strip.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a strip metal straightener or feed device which will be self-alignin to accommodate itself to a set line of feed of a strip of metal as determined by a gage or other guide, to offer no interference to the feeding of the strip in its intended direction of feed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a strip metal straightener including straightening (or feed) rolls capable of accommodating themselves to a set line of feed of a strip of metal, the strip itself being designed to immediately bring the straightener to its correct working position once the line of feed is established and to insure that the rolls will at all times be positioned to perform their straightening or feeding service without tendency to carry the strip away from its predetermined, set

line of feed.

Another object of the invention is to r0- vide a strip metal straightener inclu ing rolls designed to have oscillatory movement in a plane parallel with the plane of feed of a strip of metal to naturally position them- I selves at right-angles to the line of feed of said strip, and devices associated with the straightening (or feed) rolls adapted to be acted upon by the strip to insure the right angular relation of the rolls to the stri whereby the rolls will impart to the strip no tendency to carry awayfrom its set line of feed.

Another object is to provide a strip metal straightener or feed device including rolls capable of having universal movement in planes parallel with the plane of feed of a strip of metal (above and below said plane of feed), to naturally arrange themselves so that the portion of a strip of metal between the rolls will always align with guides determining the line of feed of the strip, and so that the rolls will always be at rightangles to said line of feed to give to the strip no tendency to carry away from its set line of feed.

Another object is to provide a strip metal straightener or feed device capable of adustment transversely with respect to the line of feed of a strip of metal to align with guides determining said line of feed, and including rolls and mechanism for imparting oscillatory movement to the straightener or feed device in a plane parallel with the plane of feed of the strip of metal so that the rolls will naturally arrange themselves at right-angles to said line of feed.

Another object is to provide a straightener or feed device for strip metal which will include various novel and improved features and characteristics of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In apparatuses of certain types for operating upon strip metal, (such for example as that disclosed in the patent to Osswald, No. 1,107 ,831, granted August 18, 1914, for transforming strip metal into chain links and successively connecting the links as formed, utilizing oppositely disposed, relatively movable dies for performing the successive operations necessary to produce and assemble the links. and employing spaced apart guides, usually in advance of said dies, determining the line of feed of the strip metal and straightening rolls for the metal usually arranged between the guides and normally fixed against all movement. except that of rotation, while the apparatus is functioning), it is necessary that the strip align exactly at all times with dies or the like in order that transforming tools can accurately perform their respective operations upon the strip. Otherwise, each successive operation will be further toward one side or the other of the strip and the tendency toward the production of an imperfect product will 1iicrease as the strip advances.

Straightenin rolls such as disclosed in the patent to having no movement except that of rotation while strip metal is being fed through the apparatus, are liable to offer nterference to the feeding of a strip in its intended direction of feed or to impart to the strip a tendency to carry away from its line of feed, and this is especially so at and near the start and finish of operations upon a strip when the forward or rearward end of the strip is not being guided. At the start of operations the strip metal must be fed past the straightening rolls before it is inserted in the forward guide, the one in front of the straightening rolls as will be understood, and when the forward end of thestrip is inserted in the forward guide, the portion of the strip then between the rolls may or may not be in exact alignment with the forward and rearward guides, that is, with the guide between the rolls and dies and the guide at the rear of the rolls. Ordinarily the mentioned portion of the strip is not in alignment with the guides, and while the tendency of the guides is to bring the strip metal back to proper aligning relation, they must do this gradually, as the strip is fed forward under some pressure between the rolls. That is to say, the axes of the rolls having no movement relatively to the line of feed of the strip, the guides must exert their infiuence upon the stri to move it to aligning relation, longitudina 1y on the rolls, against the friction between the strip and rolls. At and near the finish of operations, after the rearward end of the strip has left the rearward guide (the guide at the rear of the rolls), any tendency of the strip to have a relation to the axes of the rolls other than a right-angle relation will be magnified rather than corrected as the strip advances. And difficulty is experienced in the feeding of a strip of metal when the guides are for some reason or another out of position. The pressure of the rolls on the strip metal must be worked against to right the strip slowly and gradually whenever the guides are adjusted to proper position, the obvious result being that considerable stock is wasted by reason of an imperfectly formed product.

It was for the purpose of overcoming the disadvantageous features 01' the metal straightener as disclosed and utilized in the combination of the Osswald patent identified that the present self-aligning straightener or feed device was designed, but it is asswald identified, normally to be understood that the disclosures herein are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and are not intended to be in any sense limiting. Many alterations in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts, and many apparently widely differing embodiments of the invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the present art without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompan ing drawings forming a part of this speci cation, wherein a single embodiment of the invention is illustrated,

Figure 1 is a front view, partly in section, of a machine of one type in connection with which the sheet metal straight-ener or feed device may find use, showing the improved straightener or feed device in elevation 5 Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the straightener or feed device of Fig. 1, showing parts of the machine in elevation and in section;

Fi 3 is a sectional view as on line 3-3 in Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is an elevational View of the straightener or feed .device, corresponding with the showing of Fig. 1, the hand wheel being removed;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view looking at the side of the straightener or feed device opposite that shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view as on line 66 in Fig. 3 or Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view as on line 7-7 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view as on line 88 in Fig. 3 or Fig. t; and

Fig.9 is a fragmentary sectional view as on line 9-9 in Fig. 3 or Fig. 5-

In the drawings, 1 indicates as an entirety the main frame of a machine in connection with which the improved metal straightener can be utilized, 2, 3 are uprights of the frame, and 4 is a bed arranged between the uprights. 5 is a vertically reciprocatable slide mounted to move up and down in guides 6, 7 on the main frame. 8 is a main drive shaft transversely mounted in bearings at the upper end of the frame. 9 is a countershaft transversely mounted upon the main frame and extending from one side to the other thereof. At one side of the main frame the countershaft carries a loose pulley 10, a fast pulleyll, and a fly Wheel 12. At the other side of the frame the countershaft has loosely mounted upon it a pinion 13 carrying one element 14 of a clutch 14, the other element 14 of which is splined to the countershaft 9. Any suitable mechanism may be employed for throwing the longitudinally movable element 14 of said clutch into and out of engagement with the element 14', so as to transmit power through the pinion 13.

lOO

is a gear wheel rigidly secured to said main shaft and in mesh with the pinion 13. 16 is an eccentric on the main shaft 8 connected by eccentric straps 17, 17 and pitman 1.8 to the slide 5. 19 is a lower, stationary die on the bed 4, and 26 is a movable die carried by the slide 5, the dies having tools 21, 22 for performing .progressive operations upon strip metal to transform the same into some product, as, for example, connected chain links, there being an operation or series of operations performed each time the slide 5 descends.

Any suitable mechanism may be utilized for feeding the stock or strip of metal across the bed or bolster 4 and in alignment with the tools 21, 22, themselves shown in alignment. For this purpose I have preferred to show a feed mechanism of which 23 'is a bracket secured to the standard 3 o'fxthe frame and having a horizontally disposed platform 24, the inner end of which extends into a hole 3 through the standard 3.

25, 25 are side walls extending vertically upward, one at each side of the inner end portion of the platform 24. 26 is a horizontally reciprocatable slide suitably mounted in guideways in the side walls 25. It rests upon a horizontally disposed friction plate i 27 having downwardlyextending pins 28, 28,

each surrounded by a coil spring 29 hearing at its upper end against the plate 27 and at its lower end against the platform 24 so as to provide a yielding support for the slide 26 which normally tends to press the slide against the upper walls of its guideways to insure the closing of the feed jaws, to be hereinafter described, before the slide commenccs to move forward.

30 is a gripping piece carried by the slide 26, having an upwardly turned aw 30' adapted to engage the under surface of the strip of metal to be fed across the bed 4.

31 is an oscillatable gripping dog having a jaw 31 adapted to engage the upper surface of the strip of metal to be fed, at a point directly above the gripping jaw 30. This gripping dog 3]. is pivotally mounted between upwardly extending lugs or ears 26', 26' on the slide 26, and carries an upwardly extending arm 32.

33 is a bell crank lever pivotally connected at 3;- between side walls 34, 34, extending vertically upward, one at each side of the outer end portion of the platform 24, spaced at some little distance from the'side walls 25., 25.

35 is a rod pivotally connected at 35 to the upper end of the arm 32, and at 35 to the free end of the arm 33 of the bell crank lever 33.

36 is an adjustable stop for limiting the throw of the arm 32 in clockwise direction. As shown, this stop consists of a screw extending through a threaded opening in a cross bar 26, which latter-extends between the cars 26, 26 on the slide 26.

37 is a crank disc carried by the main drive shaft 8 and having a crank pin 37' to which is pivotally connected one end of a connecting rod 38, the other cnd of which is suitably connected to the free end of the arm 33 of the bell crank lever 33.

39 represents a strip of metal to be directed between straightening rolls and between the gripping jaws 30 and 31. The dog 3L and arm 32 are shaped and proportioned to have a slight rocking movement relative to the slide 26, so that in normal operation, as the connecting rod is drawn to the right in Figs. 1 and 2, the gripping jaw 31 is rocked out of engagement with the upper surface of the strip of metal 39. The arm 32 then engages the stop- 36 and the slide 26 recedes with the connecting rod 35. Upon the reversal of travel of the rod 35, it rocks forward the upper end of the arm 32 and causes the gripping jaw 31' to engage the upper surface of the strip 39, thereby gripping the strip firmly between the jaws 30' and 31, and the slide 26 and strip --9 are together fed forward.

The construction so far described is well known in the metal working art and I make no claim to it as a part of my present invention.

The novel strip metal straightener or feed device is represented generally by the numeral 40. As disclosed, it rests upon the platform 24 between the side walls 25 and 34. thereof and beneath the rod 35.

()f the straightener or feed device, 41 is a casting constituting a lower roll housing, and 42 is a casting constituting an upper roll housing.

The lower roll housing consists of a base 43 situated upon the platform 24, and side walls 44, 44, extending upwardly from the opposite sides of the base 43, for supporting the lower straightening or feed rolls. The upper face of the platform is cut away as at 45 to offer but. little friction to the. movement of the lower housing over the platform as to be fully set forth. 46, 47 and 48 represent horizontal and spaced apart, lower straightening or feed rolls, on shafts 46, 47 and 48 mounted in any convenient manner in the side walls 44, 44, which extend transversely of the straightener or feed device and are preferably in alignment with each other.

The upper roll housing consists of a base 49, and side walls 50, 56, extending downardly from the opposite sides of the base 49,.for supporting the upper straightening or feed rolls. 51, 52 and 53 represent horizontal and spaced apart, upper straightening or feed rolls, on shafts 51, 52 and 53 mounted in any convenient manner in the side walls 50, 50, and arranged adjacent the lower rolls, respectively, can becloser to or farther from each other as occasion requires. 7

Of the mechanism for adjustably supporting the upper housing, 54, 55 are connecting links, two at each side of the straightener or feed device, all having the r lower ends oscillatably supported from the side walls 44, 44 of the lower housing as by link screws 56. See Fig. 8.

57 are shafts mounted in the side walls 50, 50 of the upper housing, preferably at elevation higher than that of the upper rolls.

58 are eccentrics, one upon an end of each shaft 57 and arranged adjacent the outer face of a side wall 50, receiving eyes 59 of the connecting links 54. 60 are enlargements of the shafts 57 insuring the positions of the links 54. See Fig. 9.

61 are worm wheels, one keyed to an end of each shaft 57 and arranged adjacent the outer face of the side wall opposite the eccentrics 58, and 62 are eccentric hubs upon the worm wheels 61, situated between said worm wheels and said side wall 50, receiving eyes 63 of the connecting links 55.

Obviously, rotation of the worm wheels changes the distance between the upper and lower rolls. The links 54 prefera ly have the same length as the links 55 and the eccentricity of the cams 58 is the same as that of the hubs 62 in order that the axes of the upper and lower rolls, respectively, will always remain parallel.

Mechanism is provided for rotating the worm wheels and for insuring that they will remain in any position to which rotated. Of this mechanism, 64 is an upper worm shaft bracket and 66 is a lower worm shaft bracket both of which may be integral with the casting 42. 67 are a pair of vertical worm shafts mounted in any suitable mauner in the brackets 64 and 66, as by utilization of the collars 68. 69 are worms secured upon the shafts 67, one meshing with each worm wheel 61, and 70 are squared ends of the worm shafts 67 extending upwardly beyond the bracket 64, whereby the worms 69 can be actuated.

As illustrated, the straightener or feed device is adjustably associated with the bracket 23 to be moved transversely of the line of feed of the strip of metal 39 to align with guides determining said line of feed, and is pivotally associated with said bracket to be oscillatable upon the platform 24.

Of the mechanism for pivotally and adj ustably locating the straightener or feed device, 71 is a screw mounted against longitudinal movement in the side walls 34, 34 of the bracket 23 and preferably situated in alignment with the platform 24 adjacent the outer end of said platform, 72 denoting a squared end of said screw whereby the same can be manipulated.

73 Is an internally threaded block upon the screw 71 and having its forward face slidable along the outer end of the plat form 24.

74 is a pivot pin extending upwardly from the block 73 and rotatably entering an opening 75 in the rear end portion of the base 43 of the lower roll housing, a washer 7 6 and split pin 77 insurin the assembled relation of the pivot pin an base 43.

78 is a cross-beam, integral with the bracket 23, engaging the rear portion of the upper face of the base 43 adjacent the pivot pin 74, cooperating'with the washer 76 and split pin 77 in stabilizing the relation of the straightener or feed device to the platform 24 as will be understood.

It will be evident that the screw 71 can be rotated to adjust the block 73 transversely of the bracket 23 to position the rear end portion of the straightener or feed device in alignment with guides determining the line of feed of the strip of metal 39.

Mechanism is provided for imparting. oscillatory movement to the straightener or feed device so that the straightening or feed rolls will arrange themselves at right-angles to the line of feed of the strip 39, and this mechanism is controlled by the strip itself.

79, 79 are guide plates extending longitudinally of the bracket 23 and adapted to engage the opposite side edges of the strip of metal 39 being fed.

As illustrated, the forward portion of each guide plate 79 is adjustably supported from a side wall of the upper roll housing, and the rearward portion of each guide plate is adjustably supported from a side wall of the lower roll housing. The holders for the guide plates may all be duplicates, and may be associated with the side walls of the roll housings in precisely the same manner.

80 are threaded openings in the side walls 44, 50, and-81 are adjusting screws extending through said openings, each adjusting screw having a squared end 82 situated adjacent the outer face of a side wall and a concavity 83 opposite said squared end.

In each concavity 83 is a coil spring 84 the outer end of which engages a peg 85 slidably fitted in the mouth of the concavity and secured to a guide plate 79 as at 86. Obviously, the coil springs provide for a resilient engagement between the strip 39 and the guide plates, whereby the guide plates can recede from the strip should the strip edges have irregularities.

87 are guide plate spacers, one at each end of the straightener or feed device. Each spacer may be constituted by an L-shaped bracket consisting of a shortarm 88 secured to the to surface of the base 49 of the upper roll iousing. and a long arm 89 extending vertically downwardly and having a reduced portion 90 situated transversely of the straightener or feed device to be engaged by the inner faces of the guide plates at a location above the plane of the strip of metal being fed. See Fig. (3. It is evident that the guide plate spacers can be constructed ditt'erently, so long as spacer portions 90 are provided.

The manner in which the strip controls the self-aligning straightening or feed rolls is apparent. The strip exerts its influence on the guide plates 79, 79 to keep them parallel with the line of feed. or to return the guide plates to parallel relation should the gages or guides determining the line of feed be adjusted from one set position to another. The straightener or feed device offers no material resistance to the easy movement of the guide plates, the base 43 of the lower roll housing being freely oscillatable on the platform 24. When the guide plates are parallel with the line of feed of the strip 39, the straightening or feed rolls are at rightangles to said line of feed.

In order that the. strip metal can be fed between the upper and lower rolls, to be inserted between the gripping jaws 30 and 31, the roll shafts 47. "2' and 53 extend beyond the side of the straightener or feed device opposite the worm wheels 61 to receive spur gears 91, 92 and 98, the gears 92 and 93 being adapted to mesh with the gear 91 (see Figs. 3 and 5) and the roll shaft 47' extends beyond the side of the straightener or feed device having the worm wheels to receive a hand wheel 9-]: adapted to be manually mauipulated to rotate the spur gear 91 to turn the straightening or feed rolls 47, 52 and 53 in feeding direction of the strip.

After the strip of metal has been inserted between the jaws 30. 31 it can be manually fed to the forward guide 95 (determining with a rearward guide. not shown, the line of feed) and inserted in said guide 95. Clearly, both guides may be of any type preferred so long as they determine the line of feed of the strip, and both may be situated either in advance of or at the rear of the straightening rolls.

As has already been mentioned, the special feed devices fully described can be dispensed with, and the straightening rolls can themselves be constructed to constitute feed rolls within the principles of the invention.

hat I claim is:

1. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for operating upon the strip, and mechanism actuated by the the strip, and means to insure a right-angle relation between the rolls and strip, said means being adapted to be positivel actuated by the strip for the purpose 0 maintaining said relation as the strip is fed.

3. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal in a single, fixed direction, rolls for operating upon the strip, and mechanism actuated by the strip for insuring a right-angle relation between the rolls and strip.

4. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal in a single, fixed direction, rolls for operating upon the strip and adapted to have bodily movement transversely thereof, and mechanism actuated by the strip for insuring a right-angle relation between the rolls and strip.

5.In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for operating upon the strip, and means capable of causing said rolls and fed strip to move relatively to each other to insure a right-angle relation between said rolls and strip, said means being actuated by said fed strip.

6. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for operating upon the fed strip and capable of having relation thereto other than right-angle relation, and means actuated by said strip and capable of movement relatively to said guide means for establishing a right-angle relation between said rolls and strip.

7. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal in a single, fixed direction, rolls for operating upon the fed strip and capable of having relation thereto other than right-angle relation, and means actuated by said strip and capable of movement relatively to said guide means for establishing a right-angle relation between said rolls and strip.

8. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for operating upon said strip, and means for establishing a right-angle relation between the rolls and strip, the last mentioned means including a device independent of said guide means adapted to be acted upon by said strip.

9. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for operating upon said strip, and means whereby the rolls and strip could be at any one of a variety of different angles to each other, the strip being capable of acting upon said means to establish a right-angle relation between the rolls and strip.

10. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal in a single, fixed direc-' tion, rolls for operating upon said strip, and

means for insuring a right-angle relation between the rolls and strip, the last mentioned means including a device independent of said guide means adapted to be acted upon by said strip.

11. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal in a single direction, rolls for operating upon said strip, and means associated with the rolls and adapted to be positioned by the strip to maintain a rightangle relation between the rolls and strip.

12. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal in a single, fixed direction, rolls for operating upon said strip and ada ted to have movement transversely of sai strip, and means actuated by the strip and capable of movement relatively to said guide means for establishing a right-angle relation between the rolls and strip.

13. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for operating upon the strip, the axes of the rolls being capable of having movement relatively to the line of feed of the strip, and mechanism actuated by the strip for the purpose of maintaining a right-angle relation between said roll axes and said line of feed, as the strip is fed.

14. In a device of the character described, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for operating upon the strip, the axes of the rolls being capable of having movement transverse y of the line of feed of the strip, and mechanism for the purpose of establishing a right-an le relation between said roll axes and said line of feed, as the strip is fed.

15. In a device of the character described, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for operating upon the strip, the axes of the rolls being capable of having oscillatory movement relatively to the line of feed of the strip, and mechanism for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a right-angle relation between said roll axes and said line of feed, as the strip is fed.

16. In combination with means for guiding a fed strip of metal, a device of the character described, comprising rolls for operating upon the strip, the axes of the rolls being capable of having oscillatory movement transversely of the line of feed of the strip, and mechanism for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a right-angle relation between said roll axes and said line of feed, as the strip is fed.

17. In combination with means for guiding a fed strip of metal, a device of the character described, comprising rolls for operating upon the strip, the axes of the rolls being capable of having oscillatory movement transversely of the line of feed of the strip, and mechanism actuated by the strip for the purpose of maintaining the roll axes at right-angles to said line of feed, as the strip is fed.

18. In a device of the character described,

means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for operating upon the strip, the axes of the rolls being capable of having oscillatory movement transversely of the line of feed of said strip in planes parallel with the plane of feed of the strip, and mechanism for the purpose of maintaining a right-angle relation between said roll axes and said line of feed, as the'strip is fed.

19. In a device of the character described, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for operating upon the strip, the axes of the rolls being capable of having movement transversely of the line of feed of said strip and of having oscillatory movement, and mechanism actuated by the strip for the purpose of fixing the position of said rolls transversely of said strip and for maintaining the roll axes at right-angles to said line of feed, as the strip is fed.

20. In a device of the character described, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for operating upon the strip, the axes of the rolls being capable of having movement transversely of the line of feed of said strip and of having oscillatory movement in planes parallel with the plane of feed of the strip, and mechanism actuated by the strip for the purpose of fixing the position of said rolls transversely of said strip and for maintaining a right-angle relation between said roll axes and said line of feed, as the strip is fed.

21. In combination with means for guiding a fed strip of metal, a device of the character described, comprising rolls for operating uponthe strip, the rolls being capable of oscillation in planes parallel with the plane of feed of the strip, and mechanism for the pur ose of establishing and maintaining a rig t-angle relation between the rolls and the line of feed of the strip, as the strip is fed.

22. In combination with means for guiding a fed strip of metal, a device of the character described, com rising rolls for operating upon the strip, t e rolls being capable of oscillation in planes parallel with the plane of feed of the strip to move transversely of the line of feed thereof, and mechanism actuated by the strip for the purpose of establishing and maintaining the rolls at right-angles to said line of feed, as the strip is fed.

23. In combination with means for guiding a fed strip of metal, a device of the cllaracter described, comprising rolls for operating upon the strip, the axes of the rolls being capable of oscillation in planes parallel with the plane of feed of the strip and of having longitudinal movement transversely of the line of feed thereof, and mechanism associated with the rolls and adapted to be actuated by the strip for the purpose of locating the position of the rolls transversely of 130 the 'strip and for establishing and maintaining said rolls at right-angles to said line of feed, as the strip is fed.

24.. In combination with means foriguiding a fed strip of metal, a device of the character described, comprising upper and lower rolls adapted to exert pressure upon the adapted to be actuated by the strip to locate the position of said rolls transversely of said strip and to establish and maintain a rlghtangle relation between said rolls and hue of feed, as the strip is fed.

25. In combination, means for guiding a :t'ed strip of metal, rolls for straightening said strip, the axes of said rolls being capable of oscillatory movement in lanes parallel with the plane of feed of S211 strip and of longitudinal movement transversely of the line of feed of the strip, and devices associated with the rolls and strip and adapted to be acted upon by the strip to locate the position of said rolls transversely of said strip and to establish and maintain a right-angle relation between said rolls and the line of feed of said strip, as the strip is fed.

26. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for o crating upon the strip, the rolls being cap, le of having universal movement in planes parallel with the plane of feed of said strip, above and below said plane of feed, and devices actuated by the strip for arranging the rolls so that a portion of the strip between the rolls will align with the line of feed of said strip and so that the rolls will be at right-angles to said line of feed.

27. In combination, means for guiding a ted strip of metal, and a device of the character described comprising spaced apart rolls for operating upon the strip, a support for said rolls, said support being oscil latable in a plane parallel with the plane of feed of the strip to have movement transversely of the line of feed thereof, and mechanism associated with the strip for the pur pose of positioning the device so that a portion of the strip at any time between the rolls will align with the line of feed of said strip and so that the rolls will be at right-angles to said line of feed, as the strip is fed.

28. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, a straightener including rolls, the straightener being capable of having universal movement in a plane arallel with the plane of feed of said strip metal, and devices associated with the strip for loeating thc straightener so'that a portion of said strip between the rolls will align with the line of feed of said strip and so that the rolls will be at right-angles to said line of feed.

29 In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for operating upon the strip, the rolls being capable of having universal movement in planes parallel with the plane of feed of the strip to accommodate themselves to the line of feed thereof, and devices associated with the strip and the rolls for maintaining the rolls at right-angles to said line of feed.

30. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for operating upon the strip,-the rolls being capable of having universal movement in planes parallel with the plane of feed of the strip to accommodate themselves to the line of feed thereof, and devices adapted to be acted upon by the strip to insure a right-angle relation between the rolls and strip.

31. In coi'nbination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for o crating upon the strip, the rolls being capa le of having universal movement in planes parallel with the plane of feed of the strip to accommodate themselves to the line of feed thereof, and devices adapted to be acted upon by the strip to adjust the rolls transversely of the strip and to maintain them at rightangles to said line of feed.

32. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for operating upon the strip, the rolls being capable of moving in planes parallel with the plane of feed of said strip to accommodate themselves to the line of feed thereof, and devices associated with the strip to adjust the rolls transversely of the line of feed and to maintain them at right-angles to said strip, as the strip is fed.

33. In combination, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, rolls for operating upon the strip, the rolls being adapted to accommodate, themselves to the line of feed of said strip, and devices associated with llt) said rolls and acted upon by said strip for the purpose of adjusting the rolls transversely of the line of feed and for maintaining them at right-angles to said strip, as the strip is fed.

34. In con'ibination, means for establishing a strip metal line of feed, a straightener for said strip metal including rolls adapted to accommodate themselves to said .line of feed, and devices associated with the straightener and adapted to be acted upon by feed strip metal to adjust the rolls transversely of the line of feed and to maintain them at right-angles to said strip, as the strip is fed.

35. In a device of the character described, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, a straightener including rolls for operating upon the strip, and devices acted upon by the strip for adjusting the straightener transversely of the line of feed of said strip of metal and for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a right-angle relation between said rolls and said strip, as the strip is fed.

36. In a device of the character described, means for guiding a fed strip of metal, a straightener including rolls for operating upon the strip, the straightener being adapted to have movement of oscillation and movement transversely of the line of feed of said strip of metal in a plane parallel with the plane of feed of thestrip, and devices acted upon by the strip for adjusting he straightener transversely of said line f feed and for establishing and maintaining a right-angle relation between the rolls and said strip.

37. In combination, means for guiding a strip of metal, a device including rolls for operating upon the strip as it is fed forward, the device being adapted to have movement of oscillation and movement transversely of the line of feed of said strip of metal in a plane parallel with the plane of feed thereof, and mechanism controlled by the strip pf metal for causing the device to have a fixed, predetermined relation transversely of said line of feed and for establishing and maintaining a right-angle relation between the rolls and strip.

38. In combination, means for guiding a strip of metal, a device including rolls for operating upon the strip as it is fed forward, a support for the device, the rearward end of the device being pivoted to the support and the device being capable of oscillating upon the support transversely of the line of feed of the strip of metal, and guide plates associated with the device and adapted to be acted upon by the strip for adjusting said device to have a fixed, predetermined relation transversely of said line of feed and to establish and maintain a right-angle relation between the rolls and strip.

39. In combination, means for guiding a strip of metal, a device including rolls for operating upon the strip as it'is fed forward, a support for the device, the rearward end 0f the device being adjustably pivoted to the support to be capable of aligning with the line of feed of the strip of metal and the device being capable of oscillating upon said support transversely of said line of feed, and guide plates associated with the device and adapted to be acted upon by the strip to establish and maintain a right-angle relation between the rolls and strip.

40. In combination, means for guiding a strip of metal, a device including rolls for operating upon the strip as it is fed forward,

guide plates carried by the device and adapted to engage the opposite side edges of the strip of metal, and a support for the device, the rearward end 'of the device being adjustably pivoted to the support to be moved transversely of the line of feed of the strip of metal whereby the rearward ends of the guide plates can be made to align with said line of feed, and the device being capable of oscillating upon said support transversely of said line of feed whereby the guide plates can determine the position of the rolls transversely of said line of feed and can establish and maintain a right-angle relation between said rolls and line of feed.

41. In combination, means for guiding a strip'of metal, spaced apart rolls for operating upon the strip as it is fed forward, a holder for the rolls, guide plates carried by the holder and extending longitudinally of the strip to engage the opposite side edges thereof, a support for the roll holder, the rearward end of the holder being pivoted to the support, and the holder being freely oscillatable on the support whereby the strip of metal can maintain the rolls at rightangles to the line of feed of the strip, and means for shifting the pivot for the holder transversel of the line of feed of the strip tfo align said guide plates with said line of 42. In a device of the character described, an upper and a lower housing having rolls, means for adjusting the housings toward and away from each other, and guide plates carried by the housings and adapted to engage the opposite side edges of a strip of metal passing between the upper and lower rolls, each guide plate being pivotally associated with both housings.

43. In a device of the character described, an upper and a lower housing having rolls, means for adjusting the housings toward and away from each other, and guide plates carried by the housings and adapted to engage the opposite side edges of a strip of metal passing between the upper and lower rolls, each guide plate being pivotally and adjusta-bly associated with both housings.

44. In a device of the character described, an upper and a lower housing having rolls, and means for adjusting said housings toward and away from each other, said means including a shaft with eccentric carried by one of the housings, a link upon said eccentric and pivoted to the other housing, and mechanism for rotating said eccentric.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, this 7th day of April, A. D., 1924.

SYLVANUS D. LOCKE.

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